Top 4 Benefits of an Alternative Workforce

What is an Alternative Workforce?

An Alternative Workforce is either an individual or teams that operate on a fractional basis for multiple companies. These workers consult on a part-time or full-time basis, always with industry knowledge and experience. In 2020, Josh Bersin, a Global Industry Analyst of HR, found that a third of the global workforce is made up of an Alternative Workforce, which continues to grow exponentially. The majority of the Alternative Workforce is composed of professionals, highly skilled technical workers, industry experts, and workers with niche skills. What are the top 4 benefits of an Alternative Workforce?

1.) Saves Time & Lowers Stress

Trying to fill a position can be a hard and long process consisting of endless paperwork, interviews, and training. Hiring alternative workers reduces onboarding time, which leads to faster productivity and a greater impact on the business. Hiring someone with expertise eliminates guesswork, concerns in budgeting, debt management, and payroll processing.

2.) Reduces Costs

When hiring an in-house employee, consider the expenses associated with that. You have the cost of acquisition as well as their base salary, their benefits (paid time off, vacation days, bonuses, insurance, etc.), and the money spent on the onboarding process. The cost of turnover is also high. It was reported by The Society for Human Resource Management that it costs a business about 6-9 months of an employee’s salary for them to be replaced. For an employee making $60,000 per year, that comes out to $30,000 – $45,000 in recruiting and training costs. Utilizing an Alternative Workforce can greatly reduce these operational costs. 

3.) Liberate Internal Sources for New Purposes 

According to Business.com, some companies use an Alternative Workforce to free up capital, so it can be invested in other areas of the corporation. An Alternative Workforce unchains human capital that can be redirected to existing tasks or new projects that deliver higher yields for the company. All of this can improve a company’s focus on growth opportunities. 

4.) Alternative workers are unbiased

Alternative workers analyze your business with an open mind. New employees often see things that other employees fail to see after being at the company for a while. 

Like new employees, an Alternative Workforce brings more objectivity and a diversity of industry experience. These are individuals that typically want to remain objective and are motivated to contribute to change. Their fractional work keeps them fresh and driven to offer recommendations while understanding the culture. This allows them to make well-thought unbiased decisions for the company when it comes to things like financials. It is important to note that an Alternative Workforce shares their expertise to help your business grow and be profitable.